Collapsible Shopping Bag With Closed End Formed By Overlapping Interlocking Portions

ABSTRACT

A collapsible shopping bag ( 10 ) of the general form of a pillow pack having an inwardly collapsible base formed with fold lines which enable the base to be shaped to extend in a generally planar form between the rectangular outwardly convex sidewalls ( 11 ) of the bag when expanded and inwardly of the sidewalls ( 11 ) when collapsed. The base or closed end is formed by a plurality of overlapping interlocking portions ( 12 ) extending between opposed edges ( 13 ) of sidewalls ( 11 ) and each portion ( 12 ) is inwardly foldable of the bag ( 10 ) about fold lines ( 14, 16 ) as sidewalls ( 11 ) are collapsed together. The portions ( 12 ) have tabs ( 17 ) which are adhered or glued to opposing base portions. The bag is made of semi-rigid materials such as cardboard and plastics, and has handles ( 22 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to packaging and more particularly to containers, bags, cartons or the like which are preferably made from semi-rigid materials.

BACKGROUND ART

This invention will be described in relation to shopping bags but is will be understood that it has broader applicability to many other uses.

Typical shopping bags are made from cardboard, plastics, plasticised materials or the lice which is formed as an open topped collapsible rectangular prismatic article. Often those bags include handles adjacent the open top for carrying the bag when in use.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

The space within rectangular shaped bags is not fully utilized unless they contain a matching rectangularly shaped article or materials or objects which are adapted to be shaped to that of its container. Unnecessary and unused space within a rectangular prismatic bag or container as well as the additional material from which the container is made are wasted when using such packaging to contain articles which do not take up the entire available space.

A known form of collapsible package, commonly used for containing soft or flexible articles, is the pillow pack. Pillow packs have two curved rectangular sides with at least one openable end for filling the pack. Each of the ends if formed by a pair of flaps, the flaps extending from curved hinge lines along an opposed edge of each of the sides. The flaps fold about their respective hinge lines and are held in an overlapping configuration by an over-centre action resulting from the curvature of their hinge lies. A pillow pack is readily openable by rotating the outermost closed flap about its curved hinge line which curves concavely inwardly at the edge of its respective side, Thereafter, the underlying flap can be similarly rotated to fully open that end of the pillow pack.

Pillow packs, when the flaps are closed, result in a concavely curved closed end without a flat end surface that allows the package to be rested on its closed end without topping over.

Prior art disclosures of interest relative to the subject matter of the present invention include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,437,258, 5,048,749, 6,152,359, 5,911,358 and 6,513,704 as well as the disclosure of JP 2003312683.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide a pack, bag or container having at least one closed end, wherein the container, when assembled comprises at least a pair of interconnected substantially rectangular outwardly convex side panels or walls adapted to collapse flat when the container is unassembled, a closed end formed by a portion or portions connecting adjacent edges of respective side panels, said portion or portions being foldable or collapsible inwardly of the container on opposite sides of a plane containing a pair of opposed edges of the side panels as the side panels are collapsed together.

Preferably the portion or portions is a single piece when the pack has been formed and includes folds, which facilitate collapse of the portion inwardly of the side panels as the side panels are collapsed together. In a further preferred form the folds include perforations along at least some of the fold lines.

In another embodiment the portions are provided in an overlapping relationship such that adjacent portions lie substantially flat and overlap to form an interlock therebetween when the pack, bag or container is assembled, so as to resist outward displacement of the portions from the pack, bag or container.

In yet a further form the fold lines are angled substantially perpendicular to the plane when the container is assembled.

In a still further form the fold lines, when the container is assembled, are angled at differing and reducing angles relative to the plane from the mid-point between the oppose side edges toward each of the opposed side edges.

Preferably the closed end of the container provides a base thereof and the oppose end of the container is open to permit insertion of articles into the container.

In a further embodiment, a base board is positioned within and releasably affixed to the inside of a sidewall. Preferably the base board is a complementary shape to that of the base. When the pack is assembled to its open configuration the base board is removed from the wall and placed against the portion(s) at the closed end of the pack.

In a still further form the overlapping portions are adhered together when the pack is assembled.

In yet a further embodiment an open end of a container of the present invention is provided with handles.

In a particularly preferred form a pack or container in accordance with the present invention is formed from a single piece blank which is cut, folded and glued to provide a collapsed container ready to be expanded to its assembled condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of an embodiment of a shopping bag in accordance with one example of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A sitting on its base;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a blank for the formation of a bag as depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 2, of a second embodiment of a blank;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 2, of a third embodiment of a blank adapted to form a bag of the kind shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 5 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 2, of a fourth embodiment of a blank to form a bag in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a magnified view of a portion of FIG. 5.

BEST MODES

The bag 10 as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B comprises two outwardly convex rectangular sides 113 a base portion formed by a plurality of overlapping interlocking portions 12 extending between opposed edges 13 of sides 11. Each portion 12 is inwardly foldable of bag or container 10 about fold lines 14 as sides 11 are collapsed together.

A base board (not shown), releasably affixed to the inside surface of a side 11, is manually released as bag 10 is expanded or assembled from its collapsed or flat condition. The base board, having the same planar shape as the expanded base portion is pushed into place against the inner surface of portions 12 to provide rigidity and shape to the base and which resists folding of portions 12 inwardly of bag 10.

In FIG. 1A there are shown holes 15 in sides 11 for fitment of a handle (not shown) adjacent open end 16 of bag 10.

In FIGS. 2-6 common elements or components are numbered with the same reference numerals as used in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

The blanks of FIGS. 2-4 show folds marked as dashed lines while cut edges are shown as solid lines.

In FIG. 2 the base portion 12 is formed from two halves, which include fold lines 16 to facilitate inward collapse and outward movement to form a flat base to bag 10. Tabs 17 are adapted to be adhered, by gluing or the like, to opposed base portion halves 12 during assembly of the banc. Hinged tab 18 is adapted to be glued inwardly of edges 19 when sides 11 are brought together during assembly after folding about fold line 20.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 there is a plurality of separate portions 12 instead of the single folded portion 12 of the embodiment of FIG. 2.

The blanks of the embodiments as shown in the drawings are typically formed as die cuts and then folded and glued in similar manner to the methods employed in the formation of known shopping bags.

Finally, it is to be understood that the inventive concept in any of its aspects can be incorporated in many different constructions so that the generality of the preceding description is not to be superseded by the particularity of the attached drawings. Various alternations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. 

1. A container having at least one closed end, wherein the container, when assembled, comprises at least a pair of interconnected substantially rectangular outwardly convex side panels adapted to collapse flat when the container is dissembled, the closed end formed by a portion connecting closed end edges of respective side panels, said portion being or collapsible inwardly of the container, about a first fold line in a plane containing a pair of opposed edges of the side panels, as the side panels are collapsed together and wherein the portions are such that adjacent portions lie substantially flat and overlap to form an interlock therebetween when the container is assembled, so as to resist outward displacement of the portions from the container.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the portion is a single piece when the container has been formed and includes additional fold lines, which facilitate collapse of the portion inwardly of the side panels as the container is collapsed together.
 3. The container of claim 2, wherein at least some of the additional fold lines include perforations there along.
 4. A container as in claim 2 or 3 wherein the additional fold lines are angled substantially perpendicular to the plane containing the first fold line when the container is assembled.
 5. The container of claim 2, wherein the additional fold lines, when the container is assembled, are angled at differing and reducing angles relative to a plane from a mid-point between opposed side edges toward each of the opposed side edges.
 6. The container of claim 1, wherein the closed end of the container provides a base thereof and an end opposite the closed end of the container is open to permit insertion of articles into the container.
 7. The container of claim 1, wherein a base board is positioned within and releasably affixed to an inside of a sidewall.
 8. The container of claim 1, wherein the overlapping portions are adhered together when the container is assembled.
 9. The container of claim 1, wherein an open end of a container is provided with handles.
 10. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is formed from a single piece blank which is cut, folded and glued.
 11. (canceled)
 12. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is a pack or a bag.
 13. The container of claim 3, wherein the additional fold lines, when the container is assembled, are angled at differing and reducing angles relative to a plane from a mid-point between opposed side edges toward each of the opposed side edges.
 14. The container of claim 6, wherein the portion is a single piece when the container has been formed and includes additional fold lines, which facilitate collapse of the portion inwardly of the side panels as the container is collapsed together.
 15. The container of claim 7, wherein the portion is a single piece when the container has been formed and includes additional fold lines, which facilitate collapse of the portion inwardly of the side panels as the container is collapsed together.
 16. The container of claim 8, wherein the portion is a single piece when the container has been formed and includes additional fold lines, which facilitate collapse of the portion inwardly of the side panels as the container is collapsed together.
 17. The container of claim 9, wherein the portion is a single piece when the container has been formed and includes additional fold lines, which facilitate collapse of the portion inwardly of the side panels as the container is collapsed together.
 18. The container of claim 10, wherein the portion is a single piece when the container has been formed and includes additional fold lines, which facilitate collapse of the portion inwardly of the side panels as the container is collapsed together. 